


Five times Anna Nelson gave Matt a present and the one time he gave one back.

by Nyena



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:07:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28796631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyena/pseuds/Nyena
Comments: 7
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

Matt had been really nervous when Foggy had dragged him to the Nelsons for Thanksgiving but he ended up having a good time, not that he would tell Foggy. So when Foggy had announced that Matt was coming up again for Christmas Matt didn’t object quite as violently as he had the first time but it was still awkward. He had no idea if he was supposed to get Foggy’s family something or not. “Honestly don’t worry about it man” Foggy assured as zipped up his bag. “They won’t be expecting anything. You coming and not being here all alone is enough of a gift for my mom you should hear her.” Foggy cleared his voice and adopted a voice that Matt was sure was supposed to be an imitation of his mom. “Oh Frankie what is your roommate doing for Christmas? Does he have anywhere to go? We didn’t scare Matt off at Thanksgiving did we? You're inviting him here Franklin the more the merrier! Tell me Matts coming!” Matt laughed at the terrible imitation of Anna Nelson. “Your mom did not say that Foggy!” Foggy turned and faced his friend. “I am quoting here my mother said those exact words. I kid you not.”  
“You didn’t scare me off!” Matt laughed leaning further down into his bed. “Ok I’ll come.”   
Foggy let out a whoop and fist pumped the air. “YES! We’ll leave tomorrow so get packing.”   
That’s how Matt ended up being woken up far too early on Christmas morning by Foggy’s sixteen year old sister throwing a pillow at his head. Matt rolled over on the air mattress he was sleeping on in Foggy’s parents' spare room to groan at Foggy who had taken the bed. “What’s wait, who’s there?” Foggy let out a groan in response “It’s Candace. Consider yourself lucky dude she’s been turning the lights on and off for like the past 10 minutes to get me up.” On hearing that someone was there Matt threw his arm over his eyes and quickly reached up and grabbed his glasses. He was no where near close enough to the Nelson’s to scar their teenage daughter with his freaky scarred eyes. “Let’s go, you lazy bums!” Candace yelled “Theo is awake working on getting mom and dad up and you know that’s a team effort.”  
Foggy pulled his blankets tighter. “Five more minutes Candy, then we’ll help you.”  
Matt turned his pillow over to the cold side and snuggled back into bed. “Speak for yourself man you didn’t go to midnight mass.”   
“Maaaaatt” Foggy whined “she started with the lights again hit her with your cane until she leaves us alone.”   
Matt smiled “hmmmm sounds like a sighted person problem. You’re on your own and besides it’s downstairs.” Another pillow hit Matt in the head and he laughed. “You’re throwing things at a blind man now? You’ve sunk that low? ”   
Foggy sat up as he was now without a pillow and saw no point in going back to bed. “I was never above that point Matt. Lets go.”   
Matt stood up and readjusted his glasses “Ok lead the way.” Foggy walked over to Matt and offered his arm which Matt took. A few seconds later Matt was standing in the hallway listening to Foggy join his brother and sister convincing their parents to get up. Foggy was in his mid twenties and was still having a hallmark Christmas morning. Matt was actually a little jealous but pushed it down when Foggy walked back out and offered to guide Matt downstairs to the living room. Matt felt for the armchair in Nelson's front room and settled in to listen to a fantastic Christmas morning. Matt was expecting to just kind of melt into the armchair maybe go back to sleep while the presents were opened but Foggy narrated the entire thing. “Candy got that polaroid camera that she wanted, it’s blue.” That led to a 10 minute detour of an unflattering photo session. After which Foggy picked up his narration again. “Theo got some awesome carving and cooking knives and he looks a little too happy about it so watch out and I probably won’t get any breakfast because of that remark which sucks he’s a great cook. Mom and dad got a mockup of the new sign for the Deli that all of us pitched in for and dad’s a little misty eyed owww hey you are!” Matt assumed Foggy had just been hit in the head with a ball of wrapping paper. “ I got... a few textbooks I need for next term and YES a few gift cards to our favorite restaurants near our dorm which I will totally be sharing.” Matt smiled, he really had hit the roommate lottery.   
“I put enough on there for both of you starving law students.” Anna added “So go nuts. Frankie I think I see one more present underneath the tree.” Anna’s heart beat raised a little when she said this.  
Matt heard Foggy crawl over and grab it. “It’s for you Matt.” oh that explained the heartbeat. “Oh you didn’t need to get me anything I’m fine.”   
“Oh shut up and open it Matt.” Foggy chimed as he brushed Matt’s hand with the box. “It’s green with a red glittery bow.” Matt took it but stayed quiet; he didn’t quite trust his voice yet. The last Christmas present he’d gotten had been a new backpack he’d asked for when he was 17 and that from the giving or angel tree something the orphanage had set up where a charitable person could anonymously sponsor an orphan and give them something they wanted for Christmas. They were encouraged to ask for practical things and Matt had his eyes set on college so with his high school backpack nearly dead it was the logical thing. “Thanks I feel bad I didn’t get you guys anything.” Matt said, finding his voice.  
Anna waved dismissively. “Oh don’t be silly it’s not much and you being willing to put up with our craziness is a gift enough besides you and Frankie are broke law students who don’t have money to waste on us.”   
Foggy laughed. “You got that right. Open it Matt open it open it.” Foggy was poking Matt’s knee with each “open it” pestering him. Matt smiled and felt the rough edges of the glittery bow twirling it around his fingers as he undid it. Matt undid the smooth apparently green paper and ran his fingers over the cardboard box it had revealed. “It’s a cardboard box.” Matt joked as he found the corners of it.  
Foggy sighed “Come on man rip that sucker open.” Matt felt around the box until he found where he could pry it open. On opening it Matt reached in and felt a nice quality fabric and pulled it out. Running his fingers over it Matt tried to figure out what it was. “Is it a scarf?”   
Anna smiled. “It is. Frank is always complaining about how cold your room is and I saw that and it felt so soft I just couldn’t resist.” Matt put it on and laughed.  
“Thank you so much! It’s probably the softest thing I own now! What color is it?”   
Anna leaned forward on the couch as she responded. “It’s black. It also came in white but I thought black would go with more things and look better with your red hair.” Matt went to put the scarf back in the box when he felt something else and pulled it out. “What’s this? It’s a t-shirt right?”   
Anna nodded as she responded. “It is. It’s a grey shirt with faded red boxing gloves and the letters KO behind them also in red.” Now he was really in danger of crying. Matt knew Foggy talked with his mom about him but wow. Matt laid the shirt flat on knees and ran his hands over it finding the texture differences as he did and smiled “I...I don’t know what to say....thank you this means a lot. If it weren't such a minefield of boxes on the floor I'd trip over you’d be getting a hug right now.” Anna sprung up, crossed the floor and wrapped Matt in a hug before planting a kiss on top of his head. “You’re welcome Matt.”


	2. Happy birthday Matt

Matt had a vague notion that his birthday was coming up but wasn’t really paying attention until Foggy talked to him after civ pro one day. “So Matt, what are we doing for your birthday, it's Friday right?” Matt readjusted his backpack as he responded. “Is it almost the 10th already?”   
Foggy guided them around a puddle. “Sure is. You’re not doing anything on Friday right? Because mom and dad want to take you to dinner for your big 24” Matt stopped in his tracks. “What they don’t need to do that. That’s too much really I’m fine.”   
Foggy rolled his eyes and narrated as he did. “Dude they called me and asked if you would think it was weird and I said he’ll say you don’t need to and it’s too much you remember Christmas and my mom said tough it’s not too much and they are coming down to pick us up. Birthday dinners are a Nelson tradition and mom is determined to make a Nelson of you she never fails.” Matt started walking again. “How does she even know it’s my birthday?” Foggy’s heart rate increased.   
“I told her. I was just talking and we ended up on that topic. I don’t know. Stairs by the way.”   
Matt found the edge of the stairs with his cane and started climbing, thinking of polite ways to get out of dinner but the way Anna kept insisting there just wasn’t one. So come Friday evening Foggy was leading Matt down the stairs to meet his parents who were standing waiting for them. Matt was greeted with a loud happy birthday as he approached. “There they are happy birthday Matt!” Anna yelled as they crossed the lawn to them “Hey guys! Thank you.” Matt greeted as he was wrapped in a hug. “So. Anna said as she released him. Where do you want to go? Birthday boy chooses.” Matt’s eyebrows shot up in surprise at being put on the spot. “Oh gee um there’s a great Mexican place about a block away that Foggy and I waste too much money at.” Foggy clapped Matt on the back. “That is a fantastic choice my friend let’s go.” Matt smiled and took Foggy’s arm again. Anna asked them about classes and how they were doing as they walked asking if they were sleeping enough which they both answered in the negative leading to a lecture from Anna about the importance of sleep. The lecture was winding down as they arrived at the restaurant. They were guided to a table and seated. Talk turned towards Foggy asking his dad about the deli and complaining about an upcoming test which was interrupted by the waiter coming up. “Hey guys can I get you anything to drink...oooop do we need a Braille menu?” Matt nodded as he responded. “That would be fantastic thanks.”   
The waiter nodded and smiled loudly. “All right be right back.”   
Matt folded up his cane and listened to Foggy who was still complaining. ”Yeah I feel the same way on that one. want to have a library session tomorrow? I've been putting that off.” Foggy slumped down dramatically in his chair. ”Yeah but you buy coffee this time” Matt was about to agree when the waiter arrived with water and Matt’s menu. “Here we go, I just put that on the table in front of you. Oh, I see a present, what are we celebrating?” Matt had sensed Foggy’s dad carrying something but hadn't figured to put one and two together so was genuinely surprised. ”oh we're just having a small get together for this jerks birthday.” Foggy said, patting Matt on the shoulder. Matt laughed   
”Wait there’s a present?” The waiter laughed and said she’d be right back after which Matt turned his head in Anna’s direction. ”Is there really a present? You didn’t need to do that, this is all too much Anna.” Anna laughed “It’s not much and you can't have a birthday without a present.”   
“Yeah man. ” Foggy added, “Just accept that we like you already.” Matt tried not to blush but was pretty sure he was failing. “Fine just give it here.” Matt smiled as Foggy’s dad set it on the table in front of him. “12:00 Matt” Matt reached out in front of him and felt for the bag he’d heard and grabbed it. “You guys are too nice to me.” Matt said as he opened the bag and reached inside. Matt felt a box but he really couldn't tell what was in it. He smelled Styrofoam and copper but the writing on the box was glossy so he couldn't read it. Matt was feeling the box still trying to figure it out. “Okay, I give up.” Matt giggled “What is it?” Anna took a sip of water “It’s a new pair of headphones. I noticed that you use headphones a lot to listen to your computer but at Christmas the ones you were using looked really beat up and you had to keep holding them in a certain place for them to work. I did some research. They are single ear headphones so you can listen to your computer in class and still pay attention without having to keep holding them still. They should last you a long time and sound really good. I thought those could just be your laptop headphones you know? Just put them in your backpack with your computer, it's just part of it.”   
Matt beamed. ”wow that’s very thoughtful thank you so much. This is amazing. You guys are too nice to me.” Anna reached across the table and patted Matt’s hand. You’re worth it dear. Happy birthday Matt.”


	3. I'm a law student lets just assume I know more than you

Matt was walking up the stairs to his dorm after the last Spanish class before classes stopped for Christmas when he overheard Foggy on the phone with his mom.   
“ Yeah I talked with him. He's coming for Christmas I don’t know mom. Yeah he wears a lot of sweatpants and wears them more than jeans went to criminal law in them once.” Matt smiled he didn't regret that choice either. ”What size?” Foggy continued with his conversation. “I don’t know. He's skinny? Yeah I said he has a lot of them I’ll check hang on. Matt stopped listening. It sounded like Anna was fixing to get him another Christmas present and he didn’t want it spoiled. He was wearing the scarf and shirt from last year right now and he loved them. Matt didn’t think he had anything hidden in his dresser so he trusted Foggy to dig through and find whatever size he was checking for. It's a good thing Matt had decided that he was going up for Christmas sooner than he had last year so he was able to get some presents for people. He may have had Foggy’s input and help to wrap them but he’d made the final choices himself and was quite proud of them. As Matt approached he cleared his throat and tapped his cane a little louder so Foggy would know he was coming. Foggy spoke up again. “Ok yeah oh I hear him coming gotta go by love you.” Matt heard Foggy quickly close his dresser run back to his half of the room and open a book. Matt opened the door and walked over to his bed. “Hey Fog are you here?” Foggy spoke up from his lounging place on his bed. “Yup how was Spanish?” Matt leaned his cane against the wall and sat down to take off his shoes and scarf. “Meh everyone checks out the class before break I could have skipped.” Foggy put his book down and sat up.  
“That sucks. At least we have pies to look forward to. Are you packed?” Matt put his shoes in the closet. “Yeah I just need to pack my books and computer.” Foggy stood up and crossed over to the tv “Want to watch a movie? I’m in the mood for narrating a cheesy hallmark Christmas movie.”   
Matt smiled. “No but I’m in the mood to listen to a cheesy hallmark Christmas movie.” Foggy groaned as he hooked his computer up to the tv. “You are the absolute worst.”   
Matt shrugged. “Hey someones got to make the terrible blind jokes.”   
Foggy sat down on the edge of his bed deciding what to watch. “I will one up you one day just you watch.”   
“No I won't.” Matt deadpanned as Foggy groaned louder.  
A few days later Matt was sitting at the dinner table surrounded by tons of Nelsons finishing up Christmas eve dinner. Matt was sitting between Foggy and Foggy’s 8 year old cousin Mary. Christmas morning may be just the immediate Nelsons but Christmas eve was the entire clan. Matt was in the middle of explaining the difference between impeachment and removal from office and how the process works through the legal system to Foggy’s aunt Nancy when Mary tapped Matt on the shoulder.  
“No it’s not the same thing impeachment is a means of..” Matt stopped talking and turned to Mary. “Yeah?”   
“Mary kicked her legs. I saw you reading earlier when we got here you have weird books.” Matt heard an adult, probably Mary’s dad, stand up suddenly. “OK WHO’S READY TO OPEN PJ’S!” Matt knew a deflection when he heard one. “Hey it’s ok” Matt assured waving to Mary’s dad before turning back to Mary. “Yeah they look weird don’t they?” Mary took another bite of pie.  
“Why do they look so weird?” Matt didn’t mind explaining things to kids. Before he left for his undergrad he had been a 17 year old at an orphanage full of kids Mary’s age but it made adults uncomfortable because they thought he’d be offended. “Well my eyes don’t work so I read with my hands. Those bumps are letters my hands can read like your eyes can see letters in your books. It's called braille.” Mary was intently listening to Matt as he spoke.   
“So if you can read with your hands can you read in the dark?” Matt pushed down the urge to make a joke and answered.   
“Yeah I guess I can.”   
Mary gasped “That’s awesome! Can I try?” Matt was about to explain that she wouldn’t want to read his books anyway because they were all boring school books when Mary’s dad spoke up again. “MARY” In a loud whisper then a normal voice. “Come on, it's time to go open jammies!” Everyone quickly agreed that it was time to move on most likely to get Mary to leave Matt alone so he played along. “Maybe later but it sounds like you have some Christmas pajamas to open so Santa can come.” At the thought of Santa Mary let herself be distracted and dragged away towards the tree to unwrap her pajamas. Matt was gathering dishes to go and rinse when Anna appeared by his side. “Matt I think I saw some boxes under the tree for you and Frank. Want to go over there?” Matt stopped his hand halfway to picking up another dish. “I know you and Frankie are far too old for Christmas pajamas but I just thought they are both coming and oh what the hell everyone can use new pajamas.” Matt had never had Christmas pajamas in his entire life and suddenly he knew why Foggy was looking through his dresser. “Wow I’ve never...” Anna offered her arm  
“I thought that may be the case. There’s a lot of people here, want an elbow?” Matt had fully explained St. Agnes to her last summer when he and Foggy came up for a week and she hadn’t pitied him for it; she really was awesome. Matt took Anna’s arm and let her guide him over to the couch where foggy was sitting. Matt felt for his seat and plopped down next to Foggy who handed him a box. “Here Matt at your 3:00” Matt reached over to his right and grabbed the wrapped box from Foggy. “It’s white and red striped wrapping paper like a candy cane.” Matt ran his hands over it judging the size and finding the edge of the paper and ripping once Matt took the lid off the clothing box he reached inside and pulled out a shirt. Judging by Foggy's laugh it said something funny. Matt turned his head towards Anna as he laid the shirt out flat on his lap running his fingers over it “Ok what's it say?” Anna smiled as she walked in front of them. “It's grey with faded red letters like your last one except it says I’m a law student so let's just assume I know more than you with the bar association logo beneath it. Frank’s shirt is exactly the same. You also have some grey sweatpants in there that will hopefully fit you.” Matt smiled and laughed ”Anna thank you I'm sure they'll fit.” as Matt was still saying his thanks when Foggy’s sister Candace spoke up. Ohhh matching jammies go change guys!” Foggy smiled   
”Yeah let's go Matt!” Matt shook his head   
“You go ahead I'm gonna go to midnight mass so I’ll need to change out and...” Foggy sighed and flung back into the couch. ”Come on man, you can change back into a suit. It's like 8:00. Changing right into your pajamas is part of the experience!” Matt sighed.   
“Yeah ok” Candace whooped as Foggy stood up and pulled Matt off the couch. Foggy dragged him up stairs to the spare bedroom where they changed and then made their way back down to the party to applause and hollers. Matt sat back down on the couch as foggy delighted everyone by doing a twirl to show off his shirt.” Matt was quiet as he listened to the cheers when Mary came up to him. “Can I try your books now?”   
Matt thought for a bit. “Yeah okay let me go get one. I have to warn you they’re really boring. Matt got up and went to the other room where his backpack was and grabbed a book at random before returning to where Mary was waiting where he’d left her and sat down. “Ok come here.” to Matt’s surprise Mary climbed into his lap. Shocked Matt opened his book and set it on Mary’s lap. “Okay could you wipe your hands on your pants first?” Matt heard Mary wipe her hands and then he took them putting them on the page that he’d opened to randomly. “ Each letter is a combination of six dots. Feel those two dots right there one right on top of the other? That’s a B. The four dots next to it? That’s an R so B.R. Matt led her hands over each letter of the word.  
“OH” Mary yelled “So that says brown like the color!”   
“Kind of” Matt said “It’s a name.”   
Mary screwed up her face. “How do you know that?” Matt guided her hand to the next two letters. “I read the rest of the sentence. The next two letters are V and S. It says Brown VS The Board Of Education so Brown is a person. It’s also a very famous court case that I’ve learned about for school so I know.” Mary kept running her hands over the pages turning them and finding Bs. “That’s crazy that you can tell the difference but your books are boring.”   
“Told you.” Matt teased. This was turning out to be a great Christmas he didn’t deserve the Nelsons


	4. Columbia

Matt sat in his seat and listened to Foggy’s heartbeat a few rows behind him. It had taken so much work and sitting here at his law school graduation he couldn’t really believe it he was graduating with honors too. Matt turned his attention back to the speaker as they finished and they started calling people up to walk and grab their diplomas. Matt listened to the Nelson’s heartbeats from the stands as he waited for his row to be called. When his row was called Matt nervously unfolded his cane and walked up the stage with his classmates who shared the M last name and waited his turn. “Matthew Michael Murdock'' As Matt worked his way across the stage to grab his diploma he figured he was supposed to be thinking something profound but that’s not what happened. First thing he thought was “Wow I’m getting a lot more applause then everyone else.” His second thought was “Oh it’s because I’m blind right the poor blind kid did it that’s inspiring.” Then “Don’t trip and don’t hit anyone with your cane” Matt grabbed his diploma and shook several hands before sitting back down. Matt sat and thought while he waited for the N’s to be called and applauded and with the rest of the Nelson’s when Foggy was called and crossed the stage. What felt like hours later after the last names had been called and the ceremony over Matt heard Foggy working his way over to him. “Hey Matt we did it buddy” Foggy yelled as he wrapped him in a hug. “We did it a few weeks ago buddy” Matt chuckled grabbing his blue velvet tam to keep it from falling off his head. “Yeah but now we have the dorky robes complete with velvet hats and a piece of paper to make it official.”  
“Yeah I know.” Matt added “You spent an eternity describing them to me.” Foggy was in the middle of calling him a smartass when they were joined by the rest of the Nelson’s  
“There they are the newest lawyers in New York!” Foggy’s grandpa shouted.  
Foggy wrapped him in a hug. “Not yet grandpa we still have to pass a little thing called the bar exam.”  
“You still have to take another test? That sucks.” Candace piped up.  
Matt nodded. “Oh yeah and it’s a big one too.”  
“But” Foggy interjected “we get to call ourselves esquire after we pass it.”  
Matt was giggling with everyone else saying he liked the sound of Matthew Michael Murdock Esquire when Anna spoke up “ I have something for you boys want to go find a place to sit outside, take some pictures and open some presents?” Foggy answered in the positive for both of them offering to lead Matt and a few moments the two of them were standing together holding their diplomas and smiling for photos in front of a Columbia university sign. “Wait!” Matt voiced before the photos started. “Am I holding my diploma right side up? It feels like I am.” Foggy answered that he was and they continued with the photos and moved to a bench under a tree to open gifts. “Ok” Anna said, clapping her hands together. “12:00 Matt. Matt reached out and took the gift from Anna as she handed Foggy one too. It was long and thin, he could smell all kinds of metal and heard lots of tiny pieces moving around. Matt heard Foggy opening his gift so he started too, his hands feeling and turning it over to find the edge of the wrapping paper. Matt was startled when his hands met Braille. It was a W but he couldn’t read it with half of it still in the wrapping so he pulled it the rest of the way out of the paper and read the box. “It’s a Braille watch!” Matt said in awe as he ran his hands over the box again. “This is amazing! I can’t imagine what this must of cost, thank you...”  
Anna sat down between Matt and Foggy putting an arm over each of them. “Frank got a really nice watch too. It’s not everyday my boys graduate law school you two deserve something nice. Now Matt, that has a stopwatch and timer too because you boys are going to need something to time all your clients with so you know how much to bill them. Foggy was laughing and hugging his mom but Matt was still stuck on “My boys”


	5. The Bar

Matt and Foggy had decided a long time ago that they would sit the same bar exam and look up their results together the second they were posted so that they could be there for each other to celebrate or mourn. They had also decided that they would both not go into L and Z on result day and that the second one of them woke up naturally they would wake up the other to go and check the results if they had been posted online. After they were both up Foggy would look it up for them because he could go faster then Matt’s screen reader. They had even written this agreement out in Braille and writing so they could both read it then signed it. Matt was wide awake. He'd waited 17 weeks for this day and had studied his ass off for the better part of three years. It was all done. He should be relaxing but he couldn’t sleep. He felt for the time on his still pretty new watch that he’d gotten at graduation and read that it was only 5:00 he still had hours until the results went live. He should try to go back to sleep but he was completely awake and far too anxious so Matt got up, put his glasses on and walked into the kitchen living area of the apartment he and Foggy had moved into after graduation. “You too huh?” Foggy asked from his place on the couch. Matt jumped and almost screamed before he realized the hour. “Holy shit man! Yeah there is no way I’m getting anymore sleep. My heart is in my throat.” Foggy nodded and scooted over on the couch as he responded. “Yeah I feel like I’m gonna puke. Come sit on the couch and share in my anxiety” Matt felt his way over after getting them both a soda from the fridge. “I have enough anxiety thank you very much but I will sit on the couch with you.” Foggy grabbed another blanket for Matt and turned on the tv. “What are you watching?” Matt asked as he positioned the blanket. “I don’t know.” Foggy sighed “Maybe me narrating some bad infomercials will help us relax.”  
“Maybe.” Matt agreed as he rested his head on the arm of the couch. Apparently it did because the next thing Matt knew he was being shaken awake by Foggy and dragged up into a sitting position. “MATT MATT IT’S TIME THE RESULTS ARE UP!” Foggy yelled, shaking his shoulders. “Then what are you waiting for?” Matt yelled back suddenly extremely awake. Matt heard Foggy open up his computer and start typing then pause “Wait Matt we never decided who we were going to look up first.” Matt realized that he had been clenching his teeth as he opened his mouth to respond. “Um alphabetically? So I would go first? Flip a coin? Or do you want to go first?” Foggy kept typing, pulling up the page. “Oh no please be my guest we’ll look you up first okay Mu Mu....MURDOCK MICHAEL MATTHEW YOU PASSED! YOU PASSED THE BAR!” Matt wanted to scream and jump but he couldn’t, not until he knew Foggy had passed too. “Let’s do you, we’ll scream and celebrate together.” Matt said holding it in. Foggy clicked a few more buttons pulling up the N’s “Let’s see Ne Ne...NELSON PERCY FRANKLIN! I PASSED WE DID IT WE’RE LAWYERS! WE CAN PRACTICE!” Matt couldn’t hold it in anymore and jumped up and joined in the screaming wrapping Foggy in a hug. They jumped up and down for a second yelling and maybe crying a little bit when someone pounded on their door. Foggy stopped ,pushed his hair out of his eyes and went to answer the door. Matt grabbed his glasses off the coffee table where Foggy had put them after he’d fallen asleep and went to join him but was met with yelling before he had even taken one step. “DO YOU BOYS KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS!” Foggy finger combed his hair, suddenly aware that he was in his pajamas with toothpaste on his shirt as he explained. “I’m sorry Mrs. Farnsworth. Matt and I just found out we passed the bar exam. It's a huge deal. We've been waiting 17 weeks and studied 3 years for these results and we got carried away.” Foggy’s answer however, didn’t appease Mrs. Farnsworth. “I DON’T CARE IF YOU’VE BEEN WAITING 17 YEARS! QUIET HOURS ARE QUIET HOURS! KEEP IT DOWN OR I’M CALLING THE COPS!” with that Mrs. Farnsworth turned in a huff and left. “You could at least congratulate us!” Foggy yelled after her before turning and adding “You old bat.” to Matt as he closed the door. Matt bent over in laughter as Foggy tried to shhh him. “Matt shhhh Maaatt shhh she’ll just get more mad.” but Foggy was laughing too, both of them collapsing on the couch. “Ohhh Foggy Foggy.” Matt laughed trying to get his breath back but still laughing in between the words. “We need to call your mom, she's gonna kill us!” Foggy stopped laughing and sat up. “Oh shit you’re right I told her what time the results went live she’s just waiting by the phone.” Foggy got up and ran to grab his phone from his room and then threw himself back down on the couch pulling up his mom’s contact ,pushing call and putting it on speaker. She answered on the first ring. “It’s about time you called!” Anna yelled before they could even say hello. “So how did it go boys? Did you get the results?” Foggy put on a solemn face and tried to keep his voice steady “Yeah we did and it didn’t” Foggy’s mom interrupted. “Oh honey both of you? I’m so sorry when can you retake...” Matt couldn’t keep it in anymore and torture poor Anna besides calling with the fake we failed oh no we didn’t was so cheesy, but it was oh so Foggy. “No Foggy's full of shit.” Matt called “We both passed with flying colors.” Anna screamed over the phone “I knew you could do it! I knew my boys could do it! Get over here so we can celebrate! Meet us at the deli!” Matt and Foggy went to go get dressed and catch a train to Nelson’s meats. When they opened the door to Nelson's meats they were both wrapped in a hug before the door had even closed behind them. “Oh I’m so proud of you!” Anna said squeezing them. “You did it on your first try! We have to go to dinner tonight with Theo and Candace to celebrate!” Anna let them go and backed up “Oh before I forget!” Anna clapped her hands together “I got you boys something, be right back!” Here it was. Matt knew it was customary to give someone who just passed the bar exam a new briefcase but he just didn’t know how he was going to repay her for all of the stuff she had given him through the years. Matt felt his way to a table  
while Foggy went behind the counter to steal a few drinks. They had hardly started on their drinks when Anna was back carrying their gifts that she put in front of them. She must have not wrapped them because Foggy was talking about how nice they were “Wow is this real leather?” Anna answered in the positive as she handed Matt his but Matt was surprised it wasn’t a briefcase, it was a messenger bag with a shoulder strap. Anna must have seen his surprise because she started explaining. “I know that it’s supposed to be a briefcase but as I was doing research I thought that this would be better. It still accomplishes the same thing and leaves your hands free so Matt can get around safer. It also has a compartment for your computers. Matt was feeling the bag judging its size when his fingers found something engraved into the bag. He traced it feeling the normal letters M.Murdock Esq. Matt was tracing the letters again when he felt something else it was the exact same thing but in braille. Anna noticed him reading the braille and spoke up again “I hope the braille is right. I double and triple checked it.” Matt beamed as he read it again.  
“It is.” Matt whispered trying not to cry. “Thank you so much. I don’t know what to say, this is absolutely amazing. How can I repay this? It's fantastic.” Anna smiled how about you two promise some Pro Bono work for us if we ever get in trouble?” Matt laughed Matthew Michael Murdock Esquire and Franklin Percy Nelson Esquire are at your service.”


	6. The time he gave one back

It took Matt a while to find the right card but after feeling a few and asking an employee for help he found it. He took it back to his apartment and started the search for a pen, a rare object in his apartment but he found one. After using his Braille slate for a while to actually write his message, figure out what he wanted it to say and make sure he spelled everything correctly he placed the card on it and wrote out his message in Braille. When he was done with that he found some paper and practiced printing his ABC’s for a quick second before he pulled the card towards him and translated his message with the pen so a sighted person could hopefully read it. He had no idea what his handwriting looked like but he imagined it was at best atrocious. Sure he signed his name on legal documents several times everyday but that was the extent of his hand printing these days. He could just type it and print it on a normal printer at the office and put it in as a separate piece of paper but he wanted it to be personal hence putting Braille on it. Well that and he wanted to be able to translate if Anna couldn’t read his handwriting. Foggy was meeting his family for a Mother’s Day dinner which meant Matt had of course been invited despite his objections and like with all Nelson family gatherings there was no way out. So at 6:00 Foggy was knocking at his door waiting to go meet his family. About a half an hour later Matt was sitting between Foggy and Theo in a Thai restaurant listening to Anna open her presents from her husband and children. “Well Foggy said as Anna thanked him for the pair of earrings he’d gotten her. “I think that’s it, happy Mother’s Day mom! love you. As Foggy hugged his mom Matt spoke up. “Not so fast man. Anna I have something it’s not much but well...” Anna smiled as she took the card Matt handed her. Matt held his breath as she read it. This was a mistake he shouldn’t be getting this close to people. Matt tried to remember the exact words of what he had written as Anna read it. It was something like “Thank you for taking me in and being my mom for all of these years and treating me like one of the family. I never knew what having a mom felt like but now I do.” Matt could actually smell Anna crying really crying and before he knew it Anna was wrapping him in a hug and kissing him on the head. “Matt you’ve always been part of this family dear. God just didn’t decide that I needed another son until much later in my life. Okay now Matt was almost crying. “I’m just sorry it took us so long to find you.” Matt smiled as he finally gave in and cried a bit. “I’m glad you did.”


End file.
